


Game Theory

by ivorygates



Series: To Let His Kingdom Rise [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 19:39:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10520487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivorygates/pseuds/ivorygates
Summary: How it begins.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [synecdochic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/synecdochic/gifts).
  * Inspired by [dial tones](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6419470) by [synecdochic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/synecdochic/pseuds/synecdochic). 



> So Synecdochic wrote "Close To Bone" and I remixed it/continued it, but this prequel is actually a remix of the prequel to "Take These Broken Wings" to bring it in line with "To Let His Kingdom Rise" and really, I actually blame the Darkgate Fic Challenge of oh these many years ago for all of it...

He sits cross-legged on the grass, feeling the early-winter sunshine against his face cutting through the chill (meet me in St. Louis). Six months, give or take, since the day someone told him he wasn't allowed to be who he is anymore. And he's rechristened himself and learned every word of the history he's invented, the history that explains the too-adult eyes in the too-young face - but in all that time, there's been a voice in the back of his head saying: _if you're good enough, if you're patient enough, eventually this pretense will end..._

Daniel once called him a Cold Warrior without a war to fight anymore, and it hadn't been a compliment, but it had been the truth: he's _trained_ for undercover, for search-and-rescue, to build a life and an identity and to step into that life and make it _breathe._ He's been drawing on those skills non-stop since he pulled the Riveras' front door shut behind him. _Walk away cold. Don't look back. Don't give anything away._ Don't let them think you're gearing up to put yourself back in the running, not until you're rested, toned, conditioned. Locked and loaded. Ready for bear.

And for the past six months, half his subconscious has been stalling for time and gearing him up to fight (for his life, his history, his self-identity). And every time he gets his feet under him, the other half starts trying to pull him away, self-sabotage so stunning it's a wonder he's even still breathing. Because half his subconscious thinks that The Other Guy is Earth's Last Best Hope.

Screw that. What's Earth done for him lately? And he's done plenty for Earth, and yeah, they've all heard the one about old age and treachery, but hey. Old age and treachery _plus_ youth and skill all wrapped up in one miracle of science?

Now _that's_ a winning ticket.

#


End file.
